Vehicle-fender.



5. M. THOMPSON. VEHICLE FENDER. I APPLICATION FILED NOY. B, 1911 Patented Map. 26, 1912.

' ders,

- tion, reference being had to the accompanyimprovements in vehicle fenders, and -more EDGAR M. THOMPSON, OF RIGH'MONlI INDIANA.

VEHICLE-FENDER.

Application filed November 8, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR .M. THoMPsoN, a citizen of the United States, residingat Richmond, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Fenof which the following is a specificaing drawings. i

This invention relates to new and useful particularly to a fender adapted for use on automobile: and has for its object; the production of a fender of this class which can be attached toanyvehicle and which. provides for automatically releasing a portion of the fender when striking a person o-r' ob r 'ject' in thepath of the vehicle, so as to pre-' ,vent the person or objectstruck from coming in contact with the wheels of the vehicle;

Another object of the invention is to provide a-device of this character which will possess advantages in points of etliciency and durability; is inexpensive of manufactureand at the same time is simple in construction and operation. s

With the above and other objects in view the invention consistsin the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which, v I

Fignre 1 is a perspective view of the forward. end of an automobile showing my improved fender applied thereto; Fig. 2

. the axle.

cured to the outer end a is a sectional view on the line 2-1-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings'l indicates the front axle of an automobile having the straps 2 mounted thereon. Ears 3 are formed integal with said straps, Disposed between said ears and secured by means ends of the fender, saidfender comprising an upper frame 5 and a lower frame 6, said lower frame comprising the two longitudinal side bars a, and 6 having their outer ends connected b the cross bar .0 and their inner ends pivota ly connected to the straps 2- on The upper frame is composed of the longitudinal telescoping bars and 8 and a transversely disposed fender bar 9 seof the bars 8, said Specification of Letters Patent.

of the bolts 1 are the inner PatentedMar. 26, 1912.

Serial No. 659,107.

ifender bar being provided with a centrally arranged longitudinal opening-in which isdis )osed a sprmg roller, said roller having eac end mounted in thebearings 12 disposed at each end of the opening. Mountedon the spring roller 11 and having one end disposed through the slot 10in the lower side of the fender bar is a roll of canvas fabric 13, the end of said canvas being secured to the forward transverse bar 14 of the lower frame 6. The upper frame 5 is supported by means ofthe hangers 15, each having one end pivoted to the frame of the automobile and the other endpivoted to the bars 7 The bars 7 are adapted. to telescope within the bars 8 and two sets of coil springs 16. and17 are arranged in the bars 8 and disposed between the end of the bars 7 and the fender 'bar'et. The springs 16 are somewhat smaller than the springs 17 so that when an object strikes the fender bar it will force the bars rearwardlythus releasing the catches 18 and 18 which'are secured to the bars 8 and the lower frame 6, respectively, and said lower frame will be forced downwardly by means of the heavy coil springs 19 disposed between the two frames at their inner ends. When the lower frame is forced downwardly the canvas 14 will be unrolled so that the person or object struck will fall against the same and be prevented from coming in contact with the wheels of the vehicle.

Bearings of the lower 21 are mounted therein adapted toikeep said lower frame ofi'of the ground when in a lowered position.

It will be seen that the springsll' in the bars 8 are somewhat stifier than the springs 20 are-secured to the underside 16 so as to prevent or weaken the shockwhen the fender bar 9 strikes an object.

When the fender bar 9 comesv in contact with a person or other objectin the path of the vehicle, the bars 8 are forced rear- .90 frame 6 and hard rubber wheels loo wardly thus releasing the catches 18 and 18' and allowing the lower frame 6 to be forced downwardly by means of the coil springs 19. By this operation thercanvas .14 will be unrolled from the roller 11 so that the person or object struck will fall against the 'canvas and be prevented from coming in contact witlrthe' wheels of the vehicle. To

lace the lower frame in position again it is lifted up), and by pressing inwardly on the fender r 9 the .atches 1S and 18' will engage tohold the ldwer frame in' position,

when the canvas .14: will be rolle up by means of the spring roller,- thus placing the" fender in position so that the vehicle maycontinue on its way.

, While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention it will be "obvious that various changes in the; details .of construction and .1 the proportions may invention into practice without sacri cingbelresorted to for successfully carryin my otally secured at its inner'end and adapted to swing downwardly from its unreleased posltion, sald lower frame being-normally disposed in a substantially horizontal plane,

catchmembers carried by said frames and adapted to engage one another to hold said lower frame in a'normal position, said up per frame comprising longitudinal telescopmg side bars and a transverse fender bar, C011,; springs disposed in one sectlon of sa1d side bars and engaging one end of theother 1 section and the fender bar, and means for forcing said lower frame downwardly when an object strikes the fender bar and releases said catch members.

2. In a vehicle fender, the combination of an upper'frame supported in a substantially horizontal position and a pivoted lower frame'adapted to swing downwardly from its unreleased position and normally disposed in a substantially horizontal plane, catch members carried by said frames and adapted to engage one another to holdsaid lower frame in a normal position, said up per frame comprising longitudinal telescop- .in, said fen 'ing' side bars and a transverse fender bar,

coil springs' disposed in one section of said sidebars and-:engagmg one end of the other section and the fender bar, said fender bar having a'longitudinal opening formed there.

slot formed in the lower side thereof and communicating with said opening, a spring roller dispose in said opening, a' roll of canvasmounted on said roller and having one end disposed through said slot and secured to the lower frame, and means for forcing said lower frame downwardly wh n e'r bar having a longitudinal said fender bar strikes a person or object and releases said catch members.

3. In a vehicle fender, the combination of an upper frame supported in a subs antlally horizontal position and ivoted lower frame adapted to swing downwardly from v its unreleased position and normally disposed in a substantially horizontal plane, hangers having one end pivoted to the frame of the vehicle and the other end pivoted to said upper frame to support the same, catch members carried by said frames and adapted to engage one another to hold sald lower framein a normal'positmn, coil springs disposed betweensaid framesnear their inner ends and adapted to force said lower frame downwardly when said catch members are released and means carried by said upper frame and secured to the outer end of the lower frame adapted to form a barrier between the wheels of the vehicle and the person or objectstruck when said lower frame is in its lowered position.

In testlmony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature 1n the presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR M. THOMPSON. Witnesses: LAYTON MYRICK,

FRITZ K. HoHEN-sTInN.

Copies of this patent niay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. fwashington, D. G. 

